Fundraiser cycles through

Gold has hit Gordonton. The Wellington-based web programmer set off on the first of January to walk the length of NZ.

He arrived at N8N’s headquaters by bike – having adopted this mode of transport after ‘wearing out a foot’ in Palmerston North.

Originally from Christchurch, he is raising funds for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, Womens Refuge and the NZ Skeptics.

“I’d lost a friend, Joseph Pohio, in the quake and doing this walk is is a life affirming action. He was killed by falling rubble as he tried to help a woman in a food court.”

Gold, who went to primary school with Mr Pohio, carries a news-clipping with him on the bike.

There were other reasons why he set off on foot to walk the length of New Zealand.

“Friends were about to do the Mongol Rally, which starts in London and ends in Ulan Bator, the capital city of Mongolia – 16,000km in small, cheap cars. I wanted to do something equally crazy as well.

“I’d also spent 20 years in front of a keyboard, and had just started to get OOS. It seemed a good time to take a break.”

It took him four months and four days to reach Ship Cove, the northern most point of Te Araroa in the South Island, walking about 20 km a day. He then took a break in Wellington over the winter.

He reckons it will take two days to get to Auckland, and another four or five to get to the top of the island.  All up,  he will have covered about 2500km and has raised about $3000.

Without too much prompting, he says Gordonton people are lovely. “Quite so, the guy at the dairy was nice to talk to, the staff at the vets were very friendly and interested in what I’m doing.”

When he returns to Wellington, Gold says he’s looking forward to having more than two sets of clothes and catching up on Dr Who.

But now it’s time to get on the bike and get pedalling north.

Follow Gold’s progress on Intentionally Homeless.